I am rounding up the materials for my first Kerdi showers (3). I will use a mud floor with the Kerdi drain and either drywall or cement board on the walls. Kerdi membrane on the walls, floor and curbs.

My first question is on thinset. I know to use any unmodified thinset that meets ANSI A118.1. I have scanned a bunch of posts and rounded up the usual suspects:

C) What about any of the unmodifieds from Jamo (Jamoblend floor & wall, GTS, Premium) or TEC ( Fullset Plus, Sturdiset)? These 2 brands are local favorites.

Thanks,

Kman

07-25-2011 09:32 PM

If you can get ditraset, use it. It's worth it. Next choice would be 317, then kerabond.

And use drywall instead of CBU. It's cheaper and easier to work with, and it works.

GeorgeG

07-25-2011 10:44 PM

On the issue of std wallboard I am sure that many before me have had the jitters and wanted the insurance of cement board. Its all a question of membrane integrity. It boils down to what percentage leak from workmanship issues such as undetected slits/punctures, thinset voids at seams, etc. Obviously there are zero issues with perfect workmanship. Hell, the lunar lander was covered in tin foil and it got 12 men down and back. Is the leak potential really that minimal that sheetrock is a good bet?

Any more thoughts on thinset?

Kman

07-26-2011 04:37 AM

Punctures are usually pretty easy to detect. If there's any doubt at all, I add a patch, some liquid waterproofing, or a little dab of silicone, depending on the location and size of the repair.

Houston Remodeler

07-26-2011 06:33 AM

We use drywall for all of our kerdi installations except steam showers. Other than a steamer, you'll be fine. :tup2:

SMOOT

07-26-2011 06:41 AM

Another vote for Ditraset - local tile stores/suppliers can usually get it for you.

:)

Shpedly

07-26-2011 03:02 PM

At the risk of the Schluter police hunting me down, I'm casting my vote for Versabond. So easy to work with and boy does it stick.

Lazarus

07-26-2011 05:34 PM

Versabond is great....I use it alla time. Having said that, if you can get the Ditraset, you'll never go back!

GeorgeG

07-27-2011 08:03 PM

Paul

What backer board do you use for a steam shower?

Thanks,

Houston Remodeler

07-27-2011 08:06 PM

These days its Kerdi Board and not CBU. That way I get waterproofing, vapor protection, light weight easy installation all in one product.

If I had to use, I get hardibacker as it stays flatter and doesn't crack as easily, but other than that they are pretty much all the same.

GeorgeG

07-28-2011 08:05 AM

So you prefer Kerdi board over Hardi backer plus Kerdi or drywall plus Kerdi? How do you justify the increased cost? Is it just labor or do you also like it better technically?

Thanks,

Houston Remodeler

07-28-2011 10:50 AM

Once I started getting decent pricing on kerdi board that is very close to kerdi fabric pricing for materials alone, it was a no brainer

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk

GeorgeG

03-05-2012 10:15 AM

Project got delayed due to illness but we are back at it. Some questions:

1) any updated views on Kerdiboard vs backer and membrane?

2) there seems to be universal support for Kerdi over drywall but if i do decide on the membrane with a cement backer, any guidance on brand? There seems to be Hardi and then other big 3 which are similar (wonderboard, durock, permabase). Some threads have said that Hardi is a different animal and can be hard to work with, others like it because its smoother and cleaner cuts/joints. One poster said of the big three, permabase is the best. Thoughts?

3) thoughts on a hotel type frameless glass door sweeping the tile floor vs a curb. The former is fancier, the latter is more bullet proof. This is a block home with 4" slab recesses for each shower. I intend to do a mud pan and membrane floor.

4) Lastly, in an old school shower i believe in forming the mud pan and setting the wall backer down to the floor with a gap and caulk before tile as insurance. Many have suggested that in a complete kerdi wall/floor system it does not matter if you run the wall backer all the way to the sub floor and then trap the bottom with the mud pan. Do you agree or should i set the mud pan and/or drain first and then run the backer down to it? Any different view if drywall is used? Some have suggested running the wall backer and Kerdi all the way down and then mud pan but this starts breaking up the steps.

Thanks

bbcamp

03-05-2012 10:46 AM

1) I dunno. Put your priorities in order, then the choice of materials becomes obvious.

2) Durock. It's pure cement board. You'll hate it, but it has nothing in it that would be even the remotestly affected by any teeny bit of steam or water vapor getting through your membrane.

3) What does Mrs George want?

4) I'd read and follow the Kerdi instructions if you were doing a Kerdi steam shower. Period.

GeorgeG

03-05-2012 11:50 AM

Kerdi showers for new construction

1) If cost is not the top priority but a bulletproof shower is, which builds a better system, board or membrane?

2) Thanks on Durock. Why will I hate it? If not forced otherwise, do you prefer drywall?

3) Mrs. George wants no curbs but any input regarding issues here would be appreciated. Never had a shower like this before.

4) I have studied the manual and videos and 3 different approaches are shown:

a) Drywall down to the sub floor, mud pan over to and traps drywall, kerdi.

b) Drywall down to sub floor, kerdi on walls down to sub floor, mud pan over to and traps kerdi covered walls, kerdi floor.

c) Mud pan to rough walls, drywall down to top of mud pan, kerdi.

Are these drawing inaccuracies or are they all OK? Which is better?

5) Lastly just checking if anything is new in thinset. I am assuming unmodified ANSI 118.1 with the following being good choices: Kerabond, 317, Ditraset, Versabond. Any thoughts?